Generator voltage regulator



Original Filed Dec. 12, 1925 Inventor": Joseph E. Love, 138 M f H is Abnorne g- Patented May 28, 1929.

UNITED STATES v 1,714,883 PATENT" OFFICE.

JOSEPH E. LOVE, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

GENERATOR VOLTAGE REGULATOR. I

Continuation of application Serial No. 75,112, filed December 12,.1925. This applicatibn filed April 1,

1927. Serial No. 180,284.

The present invention relates to generator voltage control and more particularly to the use of a vibratory regulator for effecting such control. In my copending application Serial No. 75,112, filed December 12, 1925, (Patent No. 1,684,285) of which the present application is a continuation, I have disclosed a generator the voltage of which is controlled or regulated in accordance with variations in the impedance of an antenna circuit. Although the generator regulating system disclosed in the prior application is particularly Well adapted for use in connection with antenna systems, its use is obviously not limited to such systems. but is of general application.

In carrying my invention into effect the field winding of a generator to be controlled is provided with a pair of resistors one of which is adapted to be included in series and the other in shunt with the field winding. A vibratory relay, having one pair of windings energized from an altfirnating current source and another pair of windings energized in accordance with variations in the load circuit, controls the resistors. Normally the vibratory relay alternately includes these resistors in circuit with the field winding so that the excitation of the generator varies above and below a certain amount. When there is any variation of the load on the generator the energization of-the vibratory relay changes so that one resistor will be included in circuit with the generator field winding for a period somewhat longer than the normal period causing in this manner the return of the generator voltage to a normal condition.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. My invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation will best be understood by reference to the following specification when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 shows diagrammatically a circuit organization in which my invention is applied to antenna regulation, while Fig. 2 shows a modified and more simple form of the invention.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1 there is indicated at 1 a well known type of high frequency inductor alternator having a plurality of stationary windings 2 and a rotary field member 3, the latter being dr ven by a constant speed machine 4. Certain of the armature windings 2 are connected to the primary windings of a transformer 5, the secondary winding of which is connected in series with an antenna 6. Included in circuit with the antenna 6 are a variableimpedance 7, by meansof which initial ad ustment-fof the antenna impedance may be made, and a pair of primary transformer windings 8 and 9 which are inductively related to a pair of secondary transformer windings 10 and 11 respectively.

A saturated cor'e regulator or magnetic amplifier 12 controls the impedance of the antenna circuit.- The regulator may be of the type disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States to James C. Armor, No. 1,219,215, while the particular form of the controller which may be used may be of the type described in Letters Patent of the United States to Ernst F. W. Alexanderson, No. 1,328,799.

In the present instance the saturated core regulator comprises the usual high fre quency windings 13, connected through condensers 14 and 15 to the secondary winding 16 of an air core transformer 17, and a regulating winding 18; The rimary winding 19 of the transformer 1 is connected in series with the antenna 6. The regulating winding 18 of the magnetic amplifier is sup. plied with direct current from generator 20 through an adjustable resistance unit 21. The amount of current supplied to winding 18 is controlled by varying the separately excited field winding 22 of generator 20. Variation of the field excitation is obtained by controlling a pair of resistors oneof which 23 is connected in shunt with the field winding 22, while the other 24 is connected in series with the field winding.

Resistors 23 and 24 are controlled by a vibratory relay 25 in such a manner that the current flowing in the generator field winding is alternately increased above a certain amount and decreased a corresponding amount during equal periods of time so that the resultant field magnetization of the generator is maintained substantially constant during normal operation. Consequently, current flowing in the controlling winding 18 is substantially constant and the imped electric discharge ance of the circuit including winding 16 remains constant.

In order to control resistors 23 and 24 so as to automatically provide correction in the antenna circuit for variations of the antenna impedance from normal, I employ a plurality of electric discharge devices which govern the action of the vibratory relay 25.

Relay 25 comprises a bent permanent magnet 26 carrying at one end a vibratory arm 27 which is adapted to cooperate with a pair of polarized members 28 and 29 of like polarity and a pair of contacts 30 and 31, the latter contacts being adaptedto control the operation of the resistors. Polarized member 28 is mounted on a core member which carries a pair of windings, one of which 32 is energized from a 60 cycle source of power indicated at 33, while the other winding 34 isincluded in circuit with an device 35.. Polarized member 29 is mounted on a core member which carries a pair of windings 36 and 37 similar to windings 32 and 34. VVindings 36 and 32, however, are wound to produce opposite polarities with respect to one another. Winding 37 is connected in circuit with a second electric discharge device 38. Vibratory arm 27 is connected by a wire 39 to one side of the field winding 22. Contact 4 30 is connected to a point on resistor 24, and

contact 31 is connected to a point on the resistor 23. When arm 27 is in central position current to the field winding 22 will flow through a portion of resistor 24 to give a normal excitation to the filed winding 22. \Vhen arm 27 is in engagement with the contact 31 the field winding 22 will be connected in shunt with a circuit which will include wire 39, arm 27, contact 31, and a portion of resistor 23 so that the voltage and current supplied by generator 20 to the magnetic amplifier will be reduced below normal. When arm 27, on the other hand, is in engagement with the contact 30 the greater portion of the series resistor 24 will be short circuited and current through field windin 22 will, therefore, increase above norma The variations in current in winding 22 above and below normal which are produced in this manner willbe adjusted so that they are substantially equal.

When 60 cycle current is supplied to coils 32 and 36 of relay 25, arm 27 will vibrate at 60 cycles, the arm remaining in engagement with cont-acts 30 and 31 for equal periods of time, and, therefore, controlling the energization of winding 22 in such a way as to alternately increase and decrease the magnetization produced by winding 22.

To control operation of the vibratory arm 27 in accordance with the variations in the antenna impedance, a pair of electric discharge devices 35 and 38 are employed each comprising the usualanode, cathode and control element or grid. The anodes or plate members of the two discharge devices are connected to the secondary transformer windings 10 and 11 in such a way 'that'the electromotive forces supplied to the two anodes will be in phase with each other. The plate circuit of each discharge device is completed through one of the windings 34 or 37. The control elements of the discharge devices are connected to one of the armature windings of the inductor alternator 1. --A resistor'40 and condensers 41 and 42 areoon: nected in circuit with the armature winding of the alternator so that the phase relation of the electromotive forces supplied to the two control elements may be adjusted relatively to one another and relatively to the plate electromotive forces as desired. Normally, with the antenna in tune with the electromotive force of alternator l, the elec: tromotive' force supplied to the plate member of each discharge device 35 and 38 may differ in phase from the electromotive force applied to the associated control or grid ranged, ifthe antenna is in tune with the high frequency electromotive force of alternator 1, equal amounts of current will be supplied from discharge devices 35 and 38 to coils 34 and; 37. Energization of coils 34 and 37, however, will not affect the operation of vibratory arm 27 as long as the coils 34 and 37 are supplied with current for equal periods of time. When the impedance of the antenna varies from normal the phase relation of the electromotive forces supplied to the grids and plates of the dis charge devices will vary and as a result the current supplied in any one cycle, from one discharge device will flow for a longer period of time than from the other discharge device. This will cause one of the relay coils 34 or 37 as the case may be, to be supplied with current impulses of lon er duration than those supplied to the other relay. and as a result vibratory arm 27 will lag for a longer period of time at the pole piece 28 or 29 which is supplied with the greater amount of current.

If the impedance of the antenna has, for example, decreased below normal, coil 37 will be energized for a longer period of time and at a higher value than coil 34. Arm 27 will, therefore, lag longer at pole piece 29 than at 28 thus including a portion of resistor 23 in shunt to field Winding 22 for a longer period of time than normal operation. The total current supplied to field winding 22.and amplifier winding 18 in a given period will, therefore, be reduced from normal causing an increase in the impedance of the circuit including winding 16 and a corresponding increase of the impedance of the antenna circuit which will thereby restore the impedance of the antenna to normal.

A pair of condensers 43 and 44 which are associated with the discharge devices 35 and 38 tend to smooth out the direct current impulses supplied to coils 84 and 37. These condensers may also. act as a by-pass for radio frequency current.

The form of my invention disclosed in Fig. 2 is substantially identical, so far as operation is concerned, with that disclosed in Fig. 1. In Fig. 2 the discharge devices 35 and 38 are omitted and coils 34 and 37 are energized respectively in accordance with the voltage of a battery 45 and the generator voltage. from one side of the generator to a point on resistor 46 connected across the generator armature the current therethrough will vary in accordance with the variations of the generator voltage. The energization of coil 37 is normally balanced by the energization of coil 34 from battery 45. As in Fig. 1, alternating current is supplied from the mains 33 to coils 32 and 36 so that the vibratory arm 27 will operate, for example, at 60 cycles per second, assuming 60 cycle source of supply.

If the voltage of. the generator changes due to .any cause,

the vibration of arm 27 will be varied so that it will lag ateither pole piece 28 or 29 depending on the nature of the change. For example, if the voltage of the generator increases, coil 37 will be energized for a longer period of time than in normal operation. Arm 27 will, therefore, lag for a longer period of time at pole piece 29 than at pole piece 28. As a result the portion of resistor 23 will be-included in circuit for a somewhat longer-period of time than is normally the case, and the cur rent through winding 22 will, therefore, be decreased and tend thereby to restore the voltage of the generator to normal condition.

\Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In combination, a generator, means including a vibratory relay for controlling the voltage of the generator, means whereby said relay may normally vibrate at a certain frequency, an electric discharge device having an anode, a cathode and a grid, means for supplying alternating electromotive forces having a certain phase relation to said grid and anode, and means controlled by variationsin the hase relation of said electromotive forces t dr controlling the action of the vibratory relay.

2. In combination, a generator, means ineluding a vibratory relay for controlling the voltage of the generator, means whereby Since coil 37 is connectedditional windings,

the phase relation of said electromotive forces may produce variations in the energization of said winding thereby to control the operation of said relay.

3. In combination, a generator, means including a vibratory relay for controlling the voltage of the generator, said relay including a plurality of pairs of windings, means for supplying an alternating electromotive force to one of said pairs of windings, a plurality of electric discharge devices, means for supplying pulsatory current from said discharge devices to another of said pairs of windings, andmeans whereby the current impulses windings may be varied thereby to control the operation oft-he vibratory relay.

In combination, a direct current dynamo-electric machine, a vibratory .relay for controlling said dynamo-electric machine, said relay having a plurality of pairs of oppositely disposed electro-magnets, a vibratory member disposed between said magnets, means for supplying a substantially constant frequency alternating current to one pair of said electromagnets to produce opposite energization thereof, means for maintaining substantially constant energization of one magnet of a second pair and for enerelectric machine in response to the action of said relay.

5. In combination, a direct current generator, a vibratoryrelay for controlling the voltage of said generator, said relay having an actuating winding and'a plurality of admeans for supplying a relatively constant frequency alternating current to certain of said windings to produce vibration of said relay, and means for controlling the relative energization of one of said additional windings with respect to another additional winding in respoiise to an electrical characteristic of said generator thereby to modify the action of said relay and means for controlling the voltage of the generator in response to the modified action of the relay.

.In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 31st day of March, 1927.

JOSEPH E. LOVE. 

